Heating apparatus with safety device

ABSTRACT

A heating apparatus includes a frame, one rear face configured to be secured to a vertical wall, and a radiating element made of fragile material forming the front of the apparatus. The frame includes at least one securing element to join a rear face of the radiating element to the frame. The heating apparatus further includes a support integral with the frame. The support has a first face equipped with a heating element to heat the radiating element and a second face glued to the rear face of the radiating element.

This invention relates to the area of home heating.

More particularly, this invention relates to a heating apparatus comprising a radiating element made out of a fragile material.

Conventionally, a heating apparatus comprises a frame including a rear face secured to a vertical wall; a radiating element made in fragile material such as glass, forming the front of the apparatus, one rear face of which is joined to the frame by means of one or more securing means; and a support with a means to heat the radiating element placed against the rear face of the radiating element.

However, because of the fragility of the material making up the radiating element of such an apparatus, the element is liable to break if subjected to an impact and shatter into a number of small pieces. The broken pieces of the radiating element thus spread over the floor and lead to a risk of injury to the user.

This invention is aimed at remedying the drawbacks of the prior art.

More precisely, this invention relates to a heating apparatus comprising a frame, one rear face of which is suitable for being secured to a vertical wall; a radiating element made out of a fragile material forming the front of the apparatus, wherein the frame comprises at least one securing means that is used to join a rear face of the radiating element to said frame; a support integral with the frame, equipped on a first face with means for heating the radiating element, the second face of which is glued against the rear face of the radiating element.

Such an apparatus offers the benefit, if the radiating element breaks, of holding the broken pieces of the radiating element in place on the support that is joined to it by gluing, and of holding the support, with the broken pieces of the radiating element glued to it, on the heating apparatus. The risks for the user are reduced and the faulty apparatus can be removed more easily, and above all more safely.

In one embodiment of the invention, the frame is integral with the second face of the support.

In that embodiment, the support comprises a first zone that receives the heating means and a second zone covering the frame.

Such a support offers the benefit of only heating the radiating element and not the frame, thus preventing the frame from overheating. Such a support also offers the benefit of preventing possible electrical insulation problems.

In this embodiment, the support comprises a first element suitable for forming the first zone, integral with a second element suitable for forming the second zone, wherein the first and second elements are distinct.

In another embodiment of the invention, the frame is integral with the first face of the support.

In that embodiment, the support comprises a first zone that receives the heating means and a second zone covered by the frame and integral with the rear face of the radiating element.

In that embodiment, the frame preferably forms a bridge, below which the first zone of the support extends.

In one embodiment of the invention, the securing means comprises a first branch integral with the support and a second branch integral with the frame.

In one embodiment of the invention, the radiating element is made in glass.

In one embodiment of the invention, the support is a plastic film and the heating means is an aluminum track.

The invention will be better understood by reading the description below and examining the accompanying figures. The latter are provided for guidance and do not in any way limit the invention. The figures show:

FIG. 1: a schematic sectional top view of a heating apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2: a schematic rear view of the heating apparatus from which the frame has been removed, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: a schematic sectional top view of a heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention other than that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4: a schematic sectional top view of a heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention other than those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5: a schematic rear view of the heating apparatus from which the frame has been removed, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 1 shows a heating apparatus (100) in one exemplary embodiment of the invention. Said heating apparatus (100) comprises a frame (101). A rear face 102 of the frame 101 is suitable for being secured to a vertical wall. In this exemplary embodiment, the frame (101) further has lateral walls (103, 104) placed on each side of the rear face (102). In exemplary embodiments, the frame (101) also has a base and/or a cover.

The heating apparatus (100) according to the invention comprises a radiating element (105) forming a front (106) of said apparatus (100). In that embodiment, the radiating element (105) has the shape of a plate covering the frame (101). The radiating element (105) is made of fragile material that is liable to break into pieces, such as glass for example.

The frame (101) comprises a securing means (107, 108) using which a rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) is joined to said frame (101). In that example, the frame (101) comprises two securing means (107, 108), each placed close to a lateral edge (116, 117) of the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105).

In one embodiment of the invention, the frame (101) is directly glued to the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105). In another embodiment, the frame (101) is secured to the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) by elastic fitting means.

In an alternative embodiment, the frame (101) is secured to the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) by screws or by means of a bolted assembly. In another alternative embodiment, the frame (101) is secured to the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) by welds.

In this exemplary embodiment, the securing means (107, 108) each comprise a first branch (110, 111) and a second branch (112, 113), placed squarely one in relation to the other. The first branch (110, 111) of each of the securing means (107, 108) is integral with the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105), and the second branch (112, 113) is integral with an internal face (114, 115) of the frame (101). In this example, the second branch (112, 113) of each of the securing means (107, 108) is integral with the internal face (114, 115) of the lateral walls (103, 104). The first branch (110, 111) of the securing means (107, 108) is directed in a direction opposite the lateral edge (116, 117) that is closest to the radiating element (105).

The first branch (110, 111) of the securing means (107, 108) is glued to the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105), and the second branch (112, 113) is joined to the frame (101) by means of bolting. In another exemplary embodiment, the first branch (110, 111) is also made integral with the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) by means of elastic fitting means, welds or screws, and the second branch (112, 113) is made integral with the frame (101) by elastic fitting means, welds or glue.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the heating apparatus (100) from which the frame (101) has been removed, according to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

The heating apparatus (100) comprises a support (118) with a first face (119) bearing a heating means (120) of the radiating element (105). Preferably, the support (118) occupies a surface that is slightly smaller than the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105). In the example, the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) and the support (118) have substantially complementary shapes. The heating means (120) is placed on the support (118) so as to heat the radiating element (105) substantially evenly. The support (118) is for example a plastic film, and the heating means (120) is for example an aluminum track. Advantageously, the heating means (120) is covered by a second plastic film.

A second face (121) of the support (118), opposite the first side (119), is glued to the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105). Thus, when the radiating element (105) breaks, the gluing of the second face (121) of the support (118) against the radiating element (105) holds the pieces of the radiating element (105) together in place on the support (118).

The support (118) is integral with the frame (101). In that way, when the radiating element (105) breaks, the support (118) and thus the pieces of the radiating element (105) glued to the second face (121) of said support are held on the heating apparatus (100). The support (118) is made integral with the frame (101) by gluing.

In the example presented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frame (101) is integral with the second face (121) of the support (118). In other words, the support (118) covers the frame (101). The support (118) covers, for example, the internal face (114, 115) of the lateral walls (103, 104) of the frame (101) and/or the internal face of the cover and/or the base of the frame (101). In that embodiment, the support (118) covers the first branch (110, 111) of the securing means (107,108). In alternative embodiments, said support (118) covers the first branch (110, 111) fully or in part.

In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support (118) comprises a first zone (122) receiving the heating means (120), and a second zone (123) covering the frame (101). In that way, the heating means (120) only heats the radiating element (105) by conduction and not the frame (101), thus preventing the overheating of the frame (101). Such a solution also prevents possible electrical insulation problems. In the example, the first zone (122) is substantially central, and the second zone (123) is substantially on the edge of the support (118).

In an alternative illustrated in FIG. 3, the support (118) comprises a first element (124) suitable for forming the first zone (122), integral with a second element (125) suitable for forming the second zone (123). The first element (124) and the second element (125) are distinct. In this example, the first element (124) is glued to the second element (125).

In that way, the first element (124) of the support 118 is glued to the rear of the radiating element (105) during one step, and the second element (125) is glued to the frame (101) and the first element (124) in another step, thus simplifying the making of the apparatus (100).

In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the frame (101) is integral with the first face (119) of the support (118). The frame (101) is, for example, glued to said first face (119) of said support (118). In this example, the first branch (110, 111) of each of the securing means (107, 108) is integral with the first face (119) of the support (118). Thus, the first branch (110, 111) comprises a first part that is integral with the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105) and a second part that is integral with the first face (119) of the support (118).

In the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the support (118) comprises a first zone (126) receiving the heating means (120), and a second zone (127) covered by the frame (101) and covering the rear face (109) of the radiating element (105). In that way, the heating means (120) only heats the radiating element (105) by conduction and not the radiating element (105) and the frame (101), thus preventing the overheating of the frame (101). Such a solution also prevents possible electrical insulation problems.

In the example illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the securing means (107, 108) each form a bridge (128) under which the first zone (126) of the support (118) extends. Thus, the zone heated by the heating means (120) is increased.

The heating apparatus (100) is particularly advantageous when the radiating element (105) breaks under an impact. The gluing of the support (118) against the radiating element (105) makes it possible to keep the broken parts of the heating element (105) in place on the support (118), and the gluing of the support (118) to the first branch (110, 111) of the securing means (107, 108) or the first branch (110, 111) to the support (118) helps hold the support (118) and thus the broken parts of the radiating element (105) on the apparatus (100). Thus, the broken parts of the radiating element (105) do not spread over the floor and the risk of injury to the user is reduced. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A heating apparatus comprising: a frame comprising one rear face securable to a vertical wall and a securing element; a radiating element consisting of a glass plate forming a front part of the heating apparatus, wherein the securing element is configured to join a rear face of the radiating element to the frame; a support comprising a first face equipped with a heating element to heat the radiating element and a second face arranged against the rear face of the radiating element; the second face of the support is glued against the rear face of the radiating element; and the frame is integral with the support.
 12. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the frame is integral with the second face of the support.
 13. The heating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the support comprises a first zone to receive the heating element and a second zone covering the frame.
 14. The heating apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the support comprises a first element configured to form the first zone, integral with a second element configured to form the second zone, wherein the first and second elements are distinct.
 15. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the frame is integral with the first face of the support.
 16. The heating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the support comprises a first zone to receive the heating element and a second zone covered by the frame and integral with the rear face of the radiating element.
 17. The heating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the frame forms a bridge below which the first zone of the support extends.
 18. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the securing element comprises a first branch integral with the support and a second branch integral with the frame.
 19. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the radiating element is made in glass.
 20. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the support is a plastic film and the heating element is an aluminum track. 